Flier at Cleveland State University encouraging LGBTQ students to consider suicide upsets students

CLEVELAND, Ohio - A flier encouraging Cleveland State University's LGBTQ students to consider suicide spurred a larger discussion about First Amendment rights and hate speech on the college campus.

The flier was posted Thursday on a billboard in the Main Classroom building and was removed as soon as officials were notified, said CSU spokesman Will Dube.

However, Dube said Tuesday that the flier would still be up if the person had followed the proper procedure to post a notice.

"According to the legal framework related to free speech it would have been allowed," he said.

President Ronald Berkman issued a statement to the campus community on Monday that came under fire because it didn't address the content of the flier but said CSU "will continue to protect free speech to ensure all voices may be heard."

Berkman issued another statement Tuesday saying that he "wanted to acknowledge that yesterday I failed to express my personal outrage over a recent incident involving an anti-LGBTQ+ poster."

"While I find the message of this poster reprehensible, the current legal framework regarding free speech makes it difficult to prevent these messages from being disseminated." he wrote. "However, let me make it clear that I am committed to promoting a safe and inclusive campus for all members of our community. I recognize this incident has created significant concern around the campus."

He and staff will hold a meeting at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Main Classroom Auditorium for students to discuss concerns.

A CSU student is organizing a gathering of students at 11:30 a.m. Thursday to let Berkman know that "Hate Speech is not Free Speech."

The incident may have been prompted by the opening of CSU's new LGBTQ+ center in the building last week. An open house was held on Thursday.

Someone posted the flier the same day.

"It was taken down as soon as it was realized they did not follow the proper procedure for posting and had not gotten approval to post," Dube said. Flyers must have an approval stamp.

Dube said it is not known who posted the flier and no information could be found on Fascist Solutions, the name at the bottom. CSU police also investigated, he said.

The original flier was covered with another that had an illustration of a white man and woman above the words, "We have a right to exist," according to OhioFusion.com, an advocate for LGBTQ issues.

Vice President for Student Affairs Boyd Yarbrough met with LGBTQ students on Friday, Dube said. On Monday, Berkman released his first statement.

It said in part:

"CSU remains fully committed to a campus community that respects all individuals, regardless of age, race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation and other historical bases for discrimination.

CSU also is committed to upholding the First Amendment, even with regard to controversial issues where opinion is divided."

Students and alumni did not feel it was the proper response. They posted statements on Twitter and Facebook opposing the lack of concern.

Students were angered by the flier but are also concerned about free speech, said Kyle Stephens, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering and treasurer of the Student Government Association.

"I think the majority of students think it is horrible thing and we don't want to see anything like that here but at the same time I personally think it is also a free speech issue," he said.

Stephens cited a similar issue that occurred at CSU on Sept. 11 when a sidewalk chalk drawing of an American flag in tribute to those who lost their lives from the bombing of the World Trade Center was washed away because students in the conservative Turning Point USA chapter had not sought university approval.

The incident drew national attention because the power washing was overseen by CSU's director of maintenance Shehadeh Abdelkarim, according to the CollegeFix.com

Conservative media picked up the story and focused on the fact that Abdelkarim is the president of the Islamic Center of Cleveland.